Disney workers to protest contract talks

[dhoywdw20x]

I don't say much on these threads, people are usually quick to beat others down one way or the other. But, in my opinion I believe that employees should be treated with dignity and respect from the employer. However that same respect must be reciprocated. No one has a right or entitlement to hold a job, unless they have been contractually entitled.

Unions time and time again exploit the workers they claim to represent in order to increase their OWN management's pay and benefits.

Yes, Disney bottom line has increased. Yes, Disney's upper management have received bonus'. Yes, workers should receive raises and benefits over time. But, none of us are sitting on the corporate board and know exactly what the people there are thinking or planning. In the world of business, people make decisions and to make decisions it takes cash and financing.

If Disney wants to build new parks, resorts and attractions they need financing. Corporations only get financed if they look or appear solvent. If whenever Disney makes a profit, that profit could be distributed in raises across the board to their employees but that does not look good for investors, lenders and other stakeholders.

Maybe the 54% growth in profits will be used to invest in new markets such as "mainland China". Maybe greater profit will be used to pay dividends to stockholders, who finance the company. Maybe greater profit will be used to payoff the debts from: the 1 billion dollar expansion at California Adventure, the Fantasyland Expansion, and the two new Cruise Ships.

People cannot just look at increased profits and say "look Disney is rolling in Cash while their lower tier employees receive no benefits and raises". There are thousands of different places the excess profits can go, maybe some will go to raises but may it will go to Research & Development in Imagineering. None of us truly know.

Back to where this started. If people work hard they should be rewarded. But if you don't like your pay and you think your being exploited or being shafted QUIT and find a better job.

 

[RunnerEd]

I don't say much on these threads, people are usually quick to beat others down one way or the other. But, in my opinion I believe that employees should be treated with dignity and respect from the employer. However that same respect must be reciprocated. No one has a right or entitlement to hold a job, unless they have been contractually entitled.

Unions time and time again exploit the workers they claim to represent in order to increase their OWN management's pay and benefits.

Yes, Disney bottom line has increased. Yes, Disney's upper management have received bonus'. Yes, workers should receive raises and benefits over time. But, none of us are sitting on the corporate board and know exactly what the people there are thinking or planning. In the world of business, people make decisions and to make decisions it takes cash and financing.

If Disney wants to build new parks, resorts and attractions they need financing. Corporations only get financed if they look or appear solvent. If whenever Disney makes a profit, that profit could be distributed in raises across the board to their employees but that does not look good for investors, lenders and other stakeholders.

Maybe the 54% growth in profits will be used to invest in new markets such as "mainland China". Maybe greater profit will be used to pay dividends to stockholders, who finance the company. Maybe greater profit will be used to payoff the debts from: the 1 billion dollar expansion at California Adventure, the Fantasyland Expansion, and the two new Cruise Ships.

People cannot just look at increased profits and say "look Disney is rolling in Cash while their lower tier employees receive no benefits and raises". There are thousands of different places the excess profits can go, maybe some will go to raises but may it will go to Research & Development in Imagineering. None of us truly know.

Back to where this started. If people work hard they should be rewarded. But if you don't like your pay and you think your being exploited or being shafted QUIT and find a better job.

That sounds a whole lot like the American way of doing things, which, of course, is not the way the unions work; they use more of a socialist/class warfare/victim model.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

It certainly doesn't help Disney's case that this is happening at exactly the same time that they announced a 54% growth in profits.

Regardless of whose side you ultimately fall on, you have to acknowledge that that isn't going to play well.

 

[googilycub]

Union's destroyed the American steel, garment, and auto industries by taking millions of jobs out of the country due to union's not budging.

Florida is currently at 12% unemployment.

Now how do you think Disney is going to handle this situation?



Jimmy Thick- It's so eeeeeeeeasy...

Your right the garment industry left America for areas that allowed them to to pay employess under $1 a day and employ underage workers. I have no idea why the unions in America would not go for such a setup...:hammer::brick:

 

[googilycub]

just throwing this out there... part of the offer was a $500+$100 bonus if accepted the first try, PLUS the ability to earn an additional $300-(health-care based) bonus.

So 2-4% raise, plus up to $900.00 in bonus money... everyone seems to keep leaving those out.

I would be MORE than happy to take that in my position, especially if I were in a frontline job (not to be confused with a career).

Just my 2 cents (which is less than 2-4% plus up to a 900 buck bonus ).

My union has been working without a contract since July 2010. If my companys best offer was what Disney was offering, I can tell you right now that we would be walking a picket line. My 2 cents.

 

[mickey2008.1]

Staying current with the times and not losing money or health care is huge, and that is what disney is offering. many companies around the country are getting rid of health benefits, plus not giving raises. so to keep what they have now is good at the present time. Unions charge to much and give to little to their people in my opinion, why they make more as a useless official. Take a look at Caterpillar in the 90"s, they said " go ahead and strike" and look what happened, they found a better way to do things with less people and broke the union. Tread wisely. Many of us are non union and dont get health care, be grateful for what you have, because it could be way worse. We only see what they ( the media, and upper mgt want us to see) numbers are always fixed. Disney Company does not want be #2 anywhere, so fix it so they are not. Of course they took a hit, but admit it and look out. They may have had a 54% increase, but where? Not the parks, so give up on the fact the parks are for the reason, which is where the employees want a raise. The people that do, get. Those who dont, dont! Its like working at Mcdonalds, you have a 5% chance of getting into mgt, the rest are just minimum wagers getting small raises with a final cap. Same with disney, if you went in with the thought of getting a raise (5% plus) every year, youre in the wrong profession. Line cooks, greeters, janitors, cashiers, they are all a dime a dozen. unless youre skilled labor, which also has caps, move on. Its simple economics. pay increases for cost of living, other than that, nothing. As for health care, blame the government for letting it get out of control, not youre employer.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

That sounds a whole lot like the American way of doing things, which, of course, is not the way the unions work; they use more of a socialist/class warfare/victim model.

The land of the free labour?

Good to see some people still buy into the rhetoric and dream careful to ignore the realities of the society they live in.

However what this thread shows is that for the land of the free living in fear should be regarded as a good choice to be grateful for. Remind me again, which sector of society caused the financial meltdown. I dont think it was the nasty hourly paid oiks and their wage demands.

 

[devoy1701]

The land of the free labour?

Good to see some people still buy into the rhetoric and dream careful to ignore the realities of the society they live in.

However what this thread shows is that for the land of the free living in fear should be regarded as a good choice to be grateful for. Remind me again, which sector of society caused the financial meltdown. I dont think it was the nasty hourly paid oiks and their wage demands.

Actually a good portion of the recession can be blamed on the gov't controlled mortgage industry and their subpar regulations for lending people money. But I have a feeling that's not the answer you were referring to.

 

[RunnerEd]

My union has been working without a contract since July 2010. If my companys best offer was what Disney was offering, I can tell you right now that we would be walking a picket line. My 2 cents.

When I worked in the private sector (military now), if I didn't like the compensation package, I found a new employer. It's not that difficult of a concept; nobody is forcing them to work where they do.

 

[devoy1701]

When I worked in the private sector (military now), if I didn't like the compensation package, I found a new employer. It's not that difficult of a concept; nobody is forcing them to work where they do.

Agree. I don't get this whole "lets bully the man" concept when "the man" isn't forcing you to work there. Here's what you're offered, if you don't like it, then stay until you find something better. It's what the majority of the workforce has to do anyway!

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Apart from the rhetoric neither of you seem to have any problem with bullying the work force. After all if an area is focussed on a particular sector your alternatives are surely going to be limited. look at car manufacture.

Though no doubt you believe in the Tebbit response of getting on your bike.

 

[powlessfamily4]

Whine, whine, whine ..... My company had a 7% hike in our health premiums. I have a choice, I can pay the premium or find something more affordable. That is the great thing about America, we are free moral agents. If you hate what you're being paid and feel the conditions are bad, get another job. If your not qualified, go get qualified. There are tons of education scholarships, grants and loans out there. Do something productive to better your opportunity. I can't see how dressing up in costumes and standing at a busy intersection is productive and furthering your cause. In most cases it won't stop anyone from visiting WDW. As these boards have shown, many are aware of the very average pay a Disney worker receives.
At the 12% unemployment rate, I would venture to guess at least 10% of any state is pretty much unemployable to begin with,due to all the nutjobs in the world. LOL

(yes, I know that is not how it is figured)

 

[njDizFan]

Actually a good portion of the recession can be blamed on the gov't controlled mortgage industry and their subpar regulations for lending people money. But I have a feeling that's not the answer you were referring to.

That could not be more incorrect. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac(up until very recently) were only pseudo-government agencies. They had private stock and only partially supervised by the government. They did not write sub-prime,stated, no doc loans. That was facilitated by the investment bankers of the private mortgage lenders. These were then packaged into equities and traded by Wall Street. With no one watching or controlling these securites, they were bought and sold readily when profits on these instruments were huge.

When people started defaulting is when the crap hit the fan.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Moral? I'm not going there but forgive me if I dont accept that there are grounds for lecturing from that stand point as a national characteristic.

 

[menamechris]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think it is important to point out - Not all Disney employees are upset by the new contract. Our local news has reported that it is primarily just bus drivers and select people working in merchandising - something like only 4% of the Disney workforce. In order words, Disney is not concerned.

Unions for castmembers in housekeeping, hospitality, dining, etc. are working hard to get the current deal passed, because it will give their workers job security and annual raises.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that this has a lot more to do with bus drivers who have been there for years and years who have "topped out" on the payscale. So, of course, if benefit costs and expenses get higher (as they are for ALL of us) it is going to have to come out of some pay. Just like when gas goes up - I don't get a bonus from my employer to conpensate for the added expense of driving to and from work.

Isn't this better than what many companies do - when they fire people who have topped out on the payscale and hire new people for thousands of dollars less? It would easy to fire all of those bus drivers and hire new employees for significantly less....

 

[devoy1701]

That could not be more incorrect. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac(up until very recently) were only pseudo-government agencies. They had private stock and only partially supervised by the government. They did not write sub-prime,stated, no doc loans. That was facilitated by the investment bankers of the private mortgage lenders. These were then packaged into equities and traded by Wall Street. With no one watching or controlling these securites, they were bought and sold readily when profits on these instruments were huge.

When people started defaulting is when the crap hit the fan.

The entire organization was set up by Congress and the New Deal and used federal funds to buy mortgages from the banks that were on the primary lines of lending to people freeing up more funds to be lended to more people. And it was a gov't initiative (of course organized by Bush Sr) that allowed Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac to finance mortgages for low income families.

Despite what you may believe, the availabilty of funds and the initiative to allow low-income families to purchase homes is what drove up demand and ultimately the prices of houses to the point where they reached unsustainable levels. Many MANY people who are in homes and defaulting would have never been in homes had it not been for these gov't backed companies because A) the banks wouldn't have had the extra funds free and to keep loaning and B) they wouldn't have been able to sell off those less desirable loans to Fannie who in turn introduced the world to Mortgage backed securities. Also, those who are defaulting simply because the bottom dropped out of the value of their homes probably wouldn't be in nearly as much trouble had the house market not been artificially inflated over the last decade because the banks just had ample monies to lend out since they could just sell of the mortgages.

Fannie and Freddie wouldn't exist if the gov't hadn't established them, so yes, I blame the gov't for a large portion of the problems we are now facing, they are a big cause for the number of defaults we are seeing anymore. It will definitely be interesting to see how Fannie and Freddie are going to be desolved over the next dozen years or so.

PS - sorry if I end up getting this thread locked.

 

[devoy1701]

That could not be more incorrect. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac(up until very recently) were only pseudo-government agencies. They had private stock and only partially supervised by the government. They did not write sub-prime,stated, no doc loans. That was facilitated by the investment bankers of the private mortgage lenders. These were then packaged into equities and traded by Wall Street. With no one watching or controlling these securites, they were bought and sold readily when profits on these instruments were huge.

When people started defaulting is when the crap hit the fan.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think it is important to point out - Not all Disney employees are upset by the new contract. Our local news has reported that it is primarily just bus drivers and select people working in merchandising - something like only 4% of the Disney workforce. In order words, Disney is not concerned.

Unions for castmembers in housekeeping, hospitality, dining, etc. are working hard to get the current deal passed, because it will give their workers job security and annual raises.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that this has a lot more to do with bus drivers who have been there for years and years who have "topped out" on the payscale. So, of course, if benefit costs and expenses get higher (as they are for ALL of us) it is going to have to come out of some pay. Just like when gas goes up - I don't get a bonus from my employer to conpensate for the added expense of driving to and from work.

Job Security. Isn't that the big thing that everyone is supposidly worried about anymore? Jeez, I thank God every day that I have the job I have (even though it pays like crap) because if I didn't have a job then I would be in some serious trouble!

Be happy with just having a job at the least (esp one where you KNOW you will be getting raises for the next couple years) while the current economy is so turbulent.

 

[njDizFan]

There are reasonable arguements on both sides of pro/anti union. But I don't think you can undermine the value of unionization at the time of their inception. Workers had no rights and were treated to some incredibly poor working environments. Similar to the conditions seen now in third world countries.

When the leaders became so powerful, that is when corruption became rampant.

Just a side note( I hope this doesn't get too political) but it would be a lot easier for businesses to pay a living wage if the tremendous burdon of providing health care wasn't so huge.

 

[devoy1701]

There are reasonable arguements on both sides of pro/anti union. But I don't think you can undermine the value of unionization at the time of their inception. Workers had no rights and were treated to some incredibly poor working environments. Similar to the conditions seen now in third world countries.

When the leaders became so powerful, that is when corruption became rampant.

Just a side note( I hope this doesn't get too political) but it would be a lot easier for businesses to pay a living wage if the tremendous burdon of providing health care wasn't so huge.

I agree with this. When unions were created they were definitely needed. Today i'm not so sure, now that we're competing in a global economy where lowering costs and increasing productivity is key, it seems like without unions more money could be taken home by the workers. With OSHA and the variety of other regulatory bodies, substandard working conditions aren't something that unions are needed to protect the workers against because they can be addressed in other ways now.

 

[raven]

Whine, whine, whine .... That is the great thing about America, we are free moral agents. If you hate what you're being paid and feel the conditions are bad, get another job. In most cases it won't stop anyone from visiting WDW. As these boards have shown, many are aware of the very average pay a Disney worker receives.

The 20,000+ people in this union can find another job if they want to. But guests really don't want to see the replacements for them. Disney knows that they can replace every one of these people with low-waged employees from a certain caribbean island and get a tax incentive for it. Disney holds that over the current CMs heads to show them that they can get cheap labor elsewhere. But the problem is that most of those new employees just want to get paid, not work. Guests would start complaining left and right about their lack of care and poor work (management in other departments do constantly).